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CNN Live Today

A Double Whammy for Florida; In California, Shasta Blaze Races Across More Than 800 Acres

Aired August 12, 2004 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll get started from CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan, taking a look at what's happening now in the news. Clouds of smoke and the thunder of explosions in the Iraqi city of Najaf, where thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched an offensive against rebel militia. A spokesman for their leader, radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr, says bombing has destroyed several holy places, and that U.S. troops have killed ambulance drivers. At any moment, members of Iraq's interim government is to hold a news conference on this developing story.
Amber Frey resumes testimony today against her former lover, and accused murderer, Scott Peterson. Frey has described Peterson's repeated lies during their romance and phone conversations, taped under police orders after his pregnant wife disappeared. Prosecutors contend that Peterson's extra marital affair was his motive to kill his wife Laci.

In the sexual assault case against Kobe Bryant, now the judge, not the NBA star, who's facing withering criticism. Prosecutors are seeking an indefinite delay for the criminal trial and they're accusing the court of blunders. The father of accuser says the bench is biased against the prosecution.

Vice President Dick Cheney is the featured guest this hour at a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio. He'll be talking to veterans about the war on terror and is likely to take aim at recent remarks by Democratic challenger John Kerry. Both Cheney and President Bush have scoffed at Kerry's pledge that he could fight a more sensitive war against terrorism.

This is CNN, the most trusted name in news.

It is a double whammy for Florida. And records show it is a once in a century event. Two, not one, but two named storms making landfall in or near the state around the same time. There's tropical storm Bonnie bearing down on the panhandle, while hurricane Charley has prompted watches or warnings for hundreds of miles along Florida's west coast.

We have live team coverage of the storms. Our meteorologist Chad Myers is in Panama City Beach. That is where Bonnie's effects are expected to be felt. And our Ed Lavandera is in Clearwater waiting for Charley. We start with Chad.

Chad, looks like you might be getting some of the weather there. CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A little bit, Daryn. But the thing is, the center of the storm appears to make a little jog. Just made a little jog off to the east. And in fact, if you look -- just look down the beach, the conditions down there, literally 10 or 15 miles down there, are significantly worse than what we have here. You can see the sand being blown up; it almost looks like a big, big fog bank down there. But it is not fog; it's the actual sand being picked up by the wind.

And the wind down there, at least 35 to 45 miles per hour. We've had a couple of gusts down here to around 45 to 50. And then, as that storm pulled away, and as its pulled into Appalachia Bay, our surf is starting to come down now. About a half hour ago, these waves were way over my head. These waves were six to seven feet, and now they're probably down to four and a half, or five feet. Which means as the storm kind of takes its turn off to the right, as we expected it to do, it's actually going east of Apalachicola and into the Big Bend area.

Now, that's a problem, not that this has a lot of wind with it. It doesn't. It has a lot of rain with it. It is going to take this rain and it is going to dump it all the way through Georgia, all the way through upstate South Carolina and North Carolina and Virginia, even into D.C. And as it does that, that's the same track that Charley, which could be a Category 3 hurricane. That's the same track that Charley will take, as it just glances through and goes by Tampa, on up into the Big Bend and into Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina.

Now all that land is saturated because of Bonnie. And you've got 100 mile per hour winds, blowing down trees, knocking down power lines, all the way through the Piedmont, all the way up possibly even into Washington, D.C. -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Chad, I know you and your crew wanted to pull up stakes and move to a different location after this live shot. So we're going to let you do that.

MYERS: Yes.

KAGAN: We're going to move on to Hurricane Charley could be bearing down on the Florida Keys sometime tonight. Forecasters predicting it will whip up to a Category 2 or 3. You heard Chad talk about that, by the time Charley gets to landfall.

Our Ed Lavandera is Clearwater, Florida on Florida's west coast - Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Well, here where we are is the northern-most edge of the hurricane watch area. As you move further south however, is when you get into the hurricane warning areas. And in Key West, that area has already come under a situation where they are ordering non-residents to evacuate. That's the only area in Florida where that is happening at this point. There are voluntary evacuations in the Naples area. But quite frankly, along here along the southwestern coast of Florida, this whole storm is kind of being greeted with a giant yawn, as people have kind of gone about their daily business here. Of course, people paying close attention to what's going on. But quite frankly, many of the people we've talked to say that they'll believe that Hurricane Charley is coming once they see it. So I think basically what you're seeing along today along the Florida coast, is a lot of people perhaps waiting for a little bit more information, as to exactly what direction Hurricane Charley is going to take.

We do understand we've been talking with several emergency management officials throughout the morning. And we know there's been a flurry of phone calls and conference calls going out throughout the morning, as various counties and cities kind of put their emergency management plans into effect, and trying to prepare.

And one of the concerns is that along a lot of these communities, for example if you look here, that's Clearwater Beach Island across the bay here. From this area there's only three routes that you can evac -- three roads that you can use to evacuate this area. There are about 80,000 to 100,000 people that live in this area. And all those routes go over water. So there is a concern that if for whatever reason many people have to move in a quick amount of time, they do say that's going to be very difficult.

Take a look at what happened here in Key West this morning. In fact, I was told that there was a traffic accident on the only route out of Key West. And that tied up traffic for quite a while. But I'm told by state officials that that traffic accident has already been cleared up. But you can imagine the types of things that emergency management officials are worried about.

But nonetheless, people here continue to go about their business. It's a beautiful day so far, not a lot of wind, and the sun has been shining throughout most of the morning. So that giant sound of apathy raining hard here in Clearwater -- Daryn.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: Yes. I was going to say, Ed, who would have thought you had to pack sunscreen to cover a hurricane. But for now, that looks like what you need.

LAVANDERA: We've already gotten one of those e-mails today.

KAGAN: We'll be checking back with you. All right. Thank you for that.

Now, we want to see exactly where these storms are going, how they're tracking.

And remember, you can track both Bonnie and Charley's predicted path on our Web site. And while there, check out safety tips and learn how hurricane forms, that's cnn.com.

Meanwhile, we move on to California. That's where a wildfire has raced across more than 800 acres. We're looking at the northern part of California, near the eastern edge of Shasta Lake, just outside of Redding. At least 40 homes have been destroyed and crews say the out of control fire is threatening hundreds more. More than 300 people have been evacuated.

Our Miguel Marquez is in Orland, California keeping tabs on the Shasta blaze. Also, there is a second major fire in the state.

Good morning.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you. And we're a little bit early for the fire season this far north in California; typically it starts the end of August. And here we are sort of at the beginning and the fires have already begun. They chalk this up mainly to the drought type situations they've had here for the last seven years or so fire officials say.

And on a number of homes destroyed near Lake Shasta, it's not entirely clear how many homes there are. They know 40 structures have burned, but a lot of those may be outbuildings and the like. But they know many homes have gone up, but they know total 40 structures; it's not clear how many of those are homes at this point.

That fire just south of Lake Shasta, north of Redding, California has ballooned to 3,000 acres now. But about 40 percent contained. But what adds to that containment figure is the fact that the fire has burned right up to the shore, the southern shore of Lake Shasta. And about 120 people at a resort there had to be evacuated by boat, taken to the north part of the lake so that they could get away from the flames. Over 1100 firefighters on that fire. The Bear Fire near Lake Shasta. And the terrain is very mountainous. It's a lot of very dry, flashy, as firefighters say brush and grass type fuels.

South of there, near Oroville, about 90 miles north of Sacramento, the capital, they have another fire burning there. One structure has been destroyed, one home has been destroyed. It's about -- it's blown up to about 750 acres, apparently small fires. Firefighters feel they got a pretty good handle on it overnight. They've been digging dozer lines. Speaking to firefighters a short time ago, they say it's making a small run to the south. But they feel that they can contain it in that area. And they hope, they believe they can get on top of that fire today and completely contain that fire.

But you know, the fire season, it always happens in California about this time of year. A little early for northern California, but certainly it looks like it's off to a pretty good start -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Miguel Marquez, thank you, from Shasta.

American troops are bearing down on an Iraqi insurgents, a major offensive is under way in Najaf. But will they actually storm the holiest part of the city?

In California, there's news in the trial of Scott Peterson. Hear what the phone calls and Amber Frey reveals. And later...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, he's a Christian comedian. Great, where's your puppet? But...

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: An unconventional comic is taking a stand. We'll introduce him to you coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Thousands of U.S. troops are taking part in an assault on the Mehdi army, fighters loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr. Soldiers are now surrounding the Holy City of Najaf.

Our John Vause has more from Baghdad.

John, hello.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. We've been told by a brigadier general in Najaf that this operation is designed to limit and restrict the movements of the Mehdi army, which is now holed up inside the Iman Ali Mosque in the old town of Najaf. Earlier, there was some speculation that U.S. troops, led by Iraqi forces, may in fact try to storm the compound. But the ministry here, the government here has said that any attempt at removing al Sadr's men from inside that compound will be done only by Iraqi forces.

But still right now, despite all the violence that has been going on all day, we're being told by U.S. military authorities in Najaf that right now, there are no plans to storm the compound, to try and dislodge Muqtada al Sadr, the Shiite cleric and his militia men, the Mehdi army.

All day long, there has been ongoing clashes throughout Najaf. We're being told by some reports that at least 25 members of the Muqtada al Sadr's militia have been killed. No word yet on U.S. casualties. We're also told that U.S. troops, now in fact, control the center of the city of Najaf. That tanks and Humvees are now blocking roads in and out of many checkpoints there. And that U.S. warplanes and helicopters are in the skies over Najaf.

And there is one report from the Reuters News Agency, according to witnesses, saying that U.S. warplanes have struck a number of houses in and around the area of the home belonging to Muqtada al Sadr. We know that Muqtada al Sadr is in Najaf. We don't know exactly where he is. Whether he is in that sprawling compound of the Iman Ali mosque, whether he is in his home, or whether he may in fact be somewhere else.

There's also been a great deal of fighting in and around the cemetery, that huge, sprawling cemetery, which U.S. Marines say they found huge stashes of ammunition and weapons. There has been a lot of fighting there as well.

Daryn, we're monitoring the situation around the country, too. There's been some problems here in Baghdad, in central Baghdad. A police station was hit by Iraqi insurgents. Also, if we go to the area of Kut; some intense fighting there as well. One official saying as many as 72 people were killed in clashes in Kut. No way to verify that number. Witnesses say U.S. warplanes hit positions being held by the Mehdi army. Also in Amara, Iraqi officials say 14 people have been killed between clashes -- in clashes between British forces and al Sadr's militia.

And also in Basra, a big, big street protest there. Some 10,000 people turning out to support Muqtada al Sadr to condemn the Iraqi interim prime minister. But we're told by the British forces on the ground that that protest was mostly peaceful -- Daryn.

KAGAN: We're standing by, John, waiting for this news conference to come out of Baghdad from members of the interim government. What can you tell us about what we expect to hear?

VAUSE: Well, we're expecting to hear from the interior ministry, as well as the defense minister as well. You ought to remember, this is a very, very difficult time for the interim Iraqi government right now. This their first real test of authority since assuming control or sovereignty of Iraq on June 28. Al Sadr, the Shiia cleric holed up inside Najaf right now, has stood up; he has said he is behind the insurgency. He has made a direct challenge to the Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi. So now it's up to the Iraqi government to try and resolve this situation.

They're walking a very fine line here, because of the religious and political implications of sending Iraqi troops, backed by U.S. firepower, into the holy site, the Iman Ali Mosque. A very difficult time. We're expecting to hear some prog -- some reports from them about what they plan to do next.

KAGAN: John Vause in Baghdad. Thank you.

We're going to go from Baghdad live to Dayton, Ohio. That is where Vice President Dick Cheney making a campaign appearance. Expected to go tough after John Kerry's stamp on how he would go after terror. Let's listen to the vice president.

(INSERT CHENEY'S SPEECH)

KAGAN: We've been listening into Vice President Dick Cheney. He's addressing a veterans group. He's in Dayton, Ohio today. We expect later in the speech for him to make some very tough comments against Senator John Kerry. And the discussion as it goes on, about how each candidate, each potential administration would handle the war on terror. We will bring you those comments as well as comments from Senator Kerry a little bit later in the program.

Meanwhile, it is a decisive day in San Francisco. A judge is scheduled to rule on whether Mayor Newsome can authorize gay marriages. Hear what some observers expect to come out of California's high court.

And if you ever need to a bad date, there's a new way to make it a lot easier.

You're watching CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We take you live back now to Dayton, Ohio. Here's Vice President Dick Cheney.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

(APPLAUSE)

RICHARD B. CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on America, people in every part of the country, regardless of party, took pride and comfort in the conduct of our president. They saw a man calm in a crisis, comfortable with responsibility and determined to do everything necessary to protect our people.

Under the president's leadership we've driven the Taliban from power in Afghanistan and closed down the camps where terrorists trained to kill Americans.

(APPLAUSE)

Under the president's leadership, we rid the world of a gathering threat by eliminating the regime of Saddam Hussein.

(APPLAUSE)

Sixteen months ago, Saddam Hussein controlled the lives and the future of nearly 25 million people; today he's in jail.

(APPLAUSE)

A year ago, Libya had a secret nuclear weapons program. But after our forces ousted Saddam Hussein and captured him in his hiding spot north of Baghdad, Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, had a change of heart. He turned over control of Libya's program, including the uranium, the centrifuges and the weapons plans, and today they are under American lock and key down at Oak Ridge in Tennessee.

(APPLAUSE)

KAGAN: We've been listening in to Vice President Dick Cheney. He's addressing a veterans group in Dayton, Ohio. Coming out with some very tough remarks. Reacting to a remark that Senator John Kerry made, where the senator said that he would wage a "more sensitive" war on terror, if he is elected. To that, the vice president saying today that, "America has been in too many wars for any of our wishes. But not one of them was won by being sensitive." And he went on to criticize that tactic. And that theory by Senator Kerry.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired August 12, 2004 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll get started from CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan, taking a look at what's happening now in the news. Clouds of smoke and the thunder of explosions in the Iraqi city of Najaf, where thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched an offensive against rebel militia. A spokesman for their leader, radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr, says bombing has destroyed several holy places, and that U.S. troops have killed ambulance drivers. At any moment, members of Iraq's interim government is to hold a news conference on this developing story.
Amber Frey resumes testimony today against her former lover, and accused murderer, Scott Peterson. Frey has described Peterson's repeated lies during their romance and phone conversations, taped under police orders after his pregnant wife disappeared. Prosecutors contend that Peterson's extra marital affair was his motive to kill his wife Laci.

In the sexual assault case against Kobe Bryant, now the judge, not the NBA star, who's facing withering criticism. Prosecutors are seeking an indefinite delay for the criminal trial and they're accusing the court of blunders. The father of accuser says the bench is biased against the prosecution.

Vice President Dick Cheney is the featured guest this hour at a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio. He'll be talking to veterans about the war on terror and is likely to take aim at recent remarks by Democratic challenger John Kerry. Both Cheney and President Bush have scoffed at Kerry's pledge that he could fight a more sensitive war against terrorism.

This is CNN, the most trusted name in news.

It is a double whammy for Florida. And records show it is a once in a century event. Two, not one, but two named storms making landfall in or near the state around the same time. There's tropical storm Bonnie bearing down on the panhandle, while hurricane Charley has prompted watches or warnings for hundreds of miles along Florida's west coast.

We have live team coverage of the storms. Our meteorologist Chad Myers is in Panama City Beach. That is where Bonnie's effects are expected to be felt. And our Ed Lavandera is in Clearwater waiting for Charley. We start with Chad.

Chad, looks like you might be getting some of the weather there. CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A little bit, Daryn. But the thing is, the center of the storm appears to make a little jog. Just made a little jog off to the east. And in fact, if you look -- just look down the beach, the conditions down there, literally 10 or 15 miles down there, are significantly worse than what we have here. You can see the sand being blown up; it almost looks like a big, big fog bank down there. But it is not fog; it's the actual sand being picked up by the wind.

And the wind down there, at least 35 to 45 miles per hour. We've had a couple of gusts down here to around 45 to 50. And then, as that storm pulled away, and as its pulled into Appalachia Bay, our surf is starting to come down now. About a half hour ago, these waves were way over my head. These waves were six to seven feet, and now they're probably down to four and a half, or five feet. Which means as the storm kind of takes its turn off to the right, as we expected it to do, it's actually going east of Apalachicola and into the Big Bend area.

Now, that's a problem, not that this has a lot of wind with it. It doesn't. It has a lot of rain with it. It is going to take this rain and it is going to dump it all the way through Georgia, all the way through upstate South Carolina and North Carolina and Virginia, even into D.C. And as it does that, that's the same track that Charley, which could be a Category 3 hurricane. That's the same track that Charley will take, as it just glances through and goes by Tampa, on up into the Big Bend and into Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina.

Now all that land is saturated because of Bonnie. And you've got 100 mile per hour winds, blowing down trees, knocking down power lines, all the way through the Piedmont, all the way up possibly even into Washington, D.C. -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Chad, I know you and your crew wanted to pull up stakes and move to a different location after this live shot. So we're going to let you do that.

MYERS: Yes.

KAGAN: We're going to move on to Hurricane Charley could be bearing down on the Florida Keys sometime tonight. Forecasters predicting it will whip up to a Category 2 or 3. You heard Chad talk about that, by the time Charley gets to landfall.

Our Ed Lavandera is Clearwater, Florida on Florida's west coast - Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Well, here where we are is the northern-most edge of the hurricane watch area. As you move further south however, is when you get into the hurricane warning areas. And in Key West, that area has already come under a situation where they are ordering non-residents to evacuate. That's the only area in Florida where that is happening at this point. There are voluntary evacuations in the Naples area. But quite frankly, along here along the southwestern coast of Florida, this whole storm is kind of being greeted with a giant yawn, as people have kind of gone about their daily business here. Of course, people paying close attention to what's going on. But quite frankly, many of the people we've talked to say that they'll believe that Hurricane Charley is coming once they see it. So I think basically what you're seeing along today along the Florida coast, is a lot of people perhaps waiting for a little bit more information, as to exactly what direction Hurricane Charley is going to take.

We do understand we've been talking with several emergency management officials throughout the morning. And we know there's been a flurry of phone calls and conference calls going out throughout the morning, as various counties and cities kind of put their emergency management plans into effect, and trying to prepare.

And one of the concerns is that along a lot of these communities, for example if you look here, that's Clearwater Beach Island across the bay here. From this area there's only three routes that you can evac -- three roads that you can use to evacuate this area. There are about 80,000 to 100,000 people that live in this area. And all those routes go over water. So there is a concern that if for whatever reason many people have to move in a quick amount of time, they do say that's going to be very difficult.

Take a look at what happened here in Key West this morning. In fact, I was told that there was a traffic accident on the only route out of Key West. And that tied up traffic for quite a while. But I'm told by state officials that that traffic accident has already been cleared up. But you can imagine the types of things that emergency management officials are worried about.

But nonetheless, people here continue to go about their business. It's a beautiful day so far, not a lot of wind, and the sun has been shining throughout most of the morning. So that giant sound of apathy raining hard here in Clearwater -- Daryn.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: Yes. I was going to say, Ed, who would have thought you had to pack sunscreen to cover a hurricane. But for now, that looks like what you need.

LAVANDERA: We've already gotten one of those e-mails today.

KAGAN: We'll be checking back with you. All right. Thank you for that.

Now, we want to see exactly where these storms are going, how they're tracking.

And remember, you can track both Bonnie and Charley's predicted path on our Web site. And while there, check out safety tips and learn how hurricane forms, that's cnn.com.

Meanwhile, we move on to California. That's where a wildfire has raced across more than 800 acres. We're looking at the northern part of California, near the eastern edge of Shasta Lake, just outside of Redding. At least 40 homes have been destroyed and crews say the out of control fire is threatening hundreds more. More than 300 people have been evacuated.

Our Miguel Marquez is in Orland, California keeping tabs on the Shasta blaze. Also, there is a second major fire in the state.

Good morning.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you. And we're a little bit early for the fire season this far north in California; typically it starts the end of August. And here we are sort of at the beginning and the fires have already begun. They chalk this up mainly to the drought type situations they've had here for the last seven years or so fire officials say.

And on a number of homes destroyed near Lake Shasta, it's not entirely clear how many homes there are. They know 40 structures have burned, but a lot of those may be outbuildings and the like. But they know many homes have gone up, but they know total 40 structures; it's not clear how many of those are homes at this point.

That fire just south of Lake Shasta, north of Redding, California has ballooned to 3,000 acres now. But about 40 percent contained. But what adds to that containment figure is the fact that the fire has burned right up to the shore, the southern shore of Lake Shasta. And about 120 people at a resort there had to be evacuated by boat, taken to the north part of the lake so that they could get away from the flames. Over 1100 firefighters on that fire. The Bear Fire near Lake Shasta. And the terrain is very mountainous. It's a lot of very dry, flashy, as firefighters say brush and grass type fuels.

South of there, near Oroville, about 90 miles north of Sacramento, the capital, they have another fire burning there. One structure has been destroyed, one home has been destroyed. It's about -- it's blown up to about 750 acres, apparently small fires. Firefighters feel they got a pretty good handle on it overnight. They've been digging dozer lines. Speaking to firefighters a short time ago, they say it's making a small run to the south. But they feel that they can contain it in that area. And they hope, they believe they can get on top of that fire today and completely contain that fire.

But you know, the fire season, it always happens in California about this time of year. A little early for northern California, but certainly it looks like it's off to a pretty good start -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Miguel Marquez, thank you, from Shasta.

American troops are bearing down on an Iraqi insurgents, a major offensive is under way in Najaf. But will they actually storm the holiest part of the city?

In California, there's news in the trial of Scott Peterson. Hear what the phone calls and Amber Frey reveals. And later...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, he's a Christian comedian. Great, where's your puppet? But...

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: An unconventional comic is taking a stand. We'll introduce him to you coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Thousands of U.S. troops are taking part in an assault on the Mehdi army, fighters loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr. Soldiers are now surrounding the Holy City of Najaf.

Our John Vause has more from Baghdad.

John, hello.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. We've been told by a brigadier general in Najaf that this operation is designed to limit and restrict the movements of the Mehdi army, which is now holed up inside the Iman Ali Mosque in the old town of Najaf. Earlier, there was some speculation that U.S. troops, led by Iraqi forces, may in fact try to storm the compound. But the ministry here, the government here has said that any attempt at removing al Sadr's men from inside that compound will be done only by Iraqi forces.

But still right now, despite all the violence that has been going on all day, we're being told by U.S. military authorities in Najaf that right now, there are no plans to storm the compound, to try and dislodge Muqtada al Sadr, the Shiite cleric and his militia men, the Mehdi army.

All day long, there has been ongoing clashes throughout Najaf. We're being told by some reports that at least 25 members of the Muqtada al Sadr's militia have been killed. No word yet on U.S. casualties. We're also told that U.S. troops, now in fact, control the center of the city of Najaf. That tanks and Humvees are now blocking roads in and out of many checkpoints there. And that U.S. warplanes and helicopters are in the skies over Najaf.

And there is one report from the Reuters News Agency, according to witnesses, saying that U.S. warplanes have struck a number of houses in and around the area of the home belonging to Muqtada al Sadr. We know that Muqtada al Sadr is in Najaf. We don't know exactly where he is. Whether he is in that sprawling compound of the Iman Ali mosque, whether he is in his home, or whether he may in fact be somewhere else.

There's also been a great deal of fighting in and around the cemetery, that huge, sprawling cemetery, which U.S. Marines say they found huge stashes of ammunition and weapons. There has been a lot of fighting there as well.

Daryn, we're monitoring the situation around the country, too. There's been some problems here in Baghdad, in central Baghdad. A police station was hit by Iraqi insurgents. Also, if we go to the area of Kut; some intense fighting there as well. One official saying as many as 72 people were killed in clashes in Kut. No way to verify that number. Witnesses say U.S. warplanes hit positions being held by the Mehdi army. Also in Amara, Iraqi officials say 14 people have been killed between clashes -- in clashes between British forces and al Sadr's militia.

And also in Basra, a big, big street protest there. Some 10,000 people turning out to support Muqtada al Sadr to condemn the Iraqi interim prime minister. But we're told by the British forces on the ground that that protest was mostly peaceful -- Daryn.

KAGAN: We're standing by, John, waiting for this news conference to come out of Baghdad from members of the interim government. What can you tell us about what we expect to hear?

VAUSE: Well, we're expecting to hear from the interior ministry, as well as the defense minister as well. You ought to remember, this is a very, very difficult time for the interim Iraqi government right now. This their first real test of authority since assuming control or sovereignty of Iraq on June 28. Al Sadr, the Shiia cleric holed up inside Najaf right now, has stood up; he has said he is behind the insurgency. He has made a direct challenge to the Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi. So now it's up to the Iraqi government to try and resolve this situation.

They're walking a very fine line here, because of the religious and political implications of sending Iraqi troops, backed by U.S. firepower, into the holy site, the Iman Ali Mosque. A very difficult time. We're expecting to hear some prog -- some reports from them about what they plan to do next.

KAGAN: John Vause in Baghdad. Thank you.

We're going to go from Baghdad live to Dayton, Ohio. That is where Vice President Dick Cheney making a campaign appearance. Expected to go tough after John Kerry's stamp on how he would go after terror. Let's listen to the vice president.

(INSERT CHENEY'S SPEECH)

KAGAN: We've been listening into Vice President Dick Cheney. He's addressing a veterans group. He's in Dayton, Ohio today. We expect later in the speech for him to make some very tough comments against Senator John Kerry. And the discussion as it goes on, about how each candidate, each potential administration would handle the war on terror. We will bring you those comments as well as comments from Senator Kerry a little bit later in the program.

Meanwhile, it is a decisive day in San Francisco. A judge is scheduled to rule on whether Mayor Newsome can authorize gay marriages. Hear what some observers expect to come out of California's high court.

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KAGAN: We take you live back now to Dayton, Ohio. Here's Vice President Dick Cheney.

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RICHARD B. CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on America, people in every part of the country, regardless of party, took pride and comfort in the conduct of our president. They saw a man calm in a crisis, comfortable with responsibility and determined to do everything necessary to protect our people.

Under the president's leadership we've driven the Taliban from power in Afghanistan and closed down the camps where terrorists trained to kill Americans.

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Under the president's leadership, we rid the world of a gathering threat by eliminating the regime of Saddam Hussein.

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Sixteen months ago, Saddam Hussein controlled the lives and the future of nearly 25 million people; today he's in jail.

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A year ago, Libya had a secret nuclear weapons program. But after our forces ousted Saddam Hussein and captured him in his hiding spot north of Baghdad, Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, had a change of heart. He turned over control of Libya's program, including the uranium, the centrifuges and the weapons plans, and today they are under American lock and key down at Oak Ridge in Tennessee.

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KAGAN: We've been listening in to Vice President Dick Cheney. He's addressing a veterans group in Dayton, Ohio. Coming out with some very tough remarks. Reacting to a remark that Senator John Kerry made, where the senator said that he would wage a "more sensitive" war on terror, if he is elected. To that, the vice president saying today that, "America has been in too many wars for any of our wishes. But not one of them was won by being sensitive." And he went on to criticize that tactic. And that theory by Senator Kerry.

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